Homemade Chicken & Rice Soup

I Like It, I Love It, I Want Some More Of It ... Homemade Chicken Soup That Is!

Comfort food ... yes ... nourishing ... yes ...been known to help kick a cold ... yes. So what's in homemade Chicken Soup well lots of good things and I'm going to tell you how I make it if you'd like to read on.

About a week ago I made a 20 gallon pot of Chicken & Rice soup for about 50 people. It didn't last more than a couple of days. The masses raved and thanked me for that comfort food since many were away from home and looking for some dinner. They loved the meal and I'm glad they enjoyed it.

It just so happened that we were having a BBQ and the main course was chicken for the next day. In preparation we separated the backs from the thighs and drumsticks but now we had a huge pot of backs. What to do with them was a question. Well being me I couldn't throw out that good piece of soup stock bone and meat so that's how the masses got a hot bowl of chicken, rice & veggie soup that night.

I don't like to waste food and in today's economy I think leftovers and soup makings are an important plus to help offset the grocery bill. Plus I feel there's nothing like a hot bowl of homemade soup of any kind with some crusty bread, add a sandwich or side dish and you've got an economical meal that's healthy and satisfying.

If you've never ventured to make your own then find out how below. And enjoy!

Got The Sniffles?

Curl Up In Your Warm Fuzzies And Enjoy A Warm Bowl Of Chicken Soup. You'll Feel Better Just From The Comfort Of It.

Some Chicken Soup Terms

And different types of soup from basically the same base.

Chicken stock is the liquid in which chicken bones and vegetables have been simmered for the purpose of serving as an ingredient in more complex dishes. The more bones you cook in the liquid the more the stock is gelatin which makes it a better base for sauces.

Chicken broth is the liquid part of chicken soup.

Chicken bouillon or bouillon de poulet is the French term for chicken broth.

Chicken Stew is a denser dish than soup with a thicker consistency. It can be thicken with a roux or a flour/water mixture to make more of a gravy from the broth.

Cream of Chicken Soup is a creamy thick soup made with chicken stock and meat pieces then combined with milk or cream and flour to thicken some what. It may or may not contain vegetables depending on the recipe you use.

Soup Made Simple

I believe everyone knows that great soups starts with simmering the bones of meat. That's where the flavor is for sure...this is tried and true for me. But with today's hectic world and busy schedules sometimes a short cut is necessary if not for body then mind.

You don't have to spend a couple hours making a good version of home made soup starting from scratch. You can do that on a rainy weekend day.

You can use chicken stock from the grocery store as your base, sauteed chicken breast and frozen vegetables, rice or noodles and there you have it quick and easy once it's simmered for a 1/2 hr. It can be a meal on the run with a little planning. Add a nice crusty bread and you have a great home cooked meal full of nutrition and love...I think the love is an important ingredient!

Each one of my 3 kids grew up knowing how to make this soup and have adapted it for their own family to their liking. They still make Mom's Chicken And Home Made Noodles though the same way I always did, that's not quite a soup it's made a little thicker but it is made the same way.

So have some fun if you like home made soup and enjoy yourself. As long as you like your own ingredients you will like your soup ... if it doesn't taste quite right then tweak it til it does. Relax and Enjoy!

This recipe has rice and barley as an option. These two items will thicken your soup and continue to swell until it reaches maximum size and absorbed what liquid it can. If your soup gets to thick you can always add more broth or bullion heated in water to thin the soup as you like.

Ingredients

3 - 5 lbs of chicken backs

2 TBLS Olive Oil

1 lb of boneless chicken breast cut into cubes (optional)

small onion chopped

large back of mixed veggies to your liking (fresh chopped veggies are best but frozen work just as well)

Instructions

Place olive oil in your soup pot, add chicken breast if you are going to use it and sautee until cooked through, remove chicken and reserve for later) and add chopped onion and sautee about 7 minutes. Wash Chicken backs and put in the same large dutch oven type pot you sauteed your chicken breast and onion in cover your chicken backs with water and simmer approx 1 1/2 hrs. Remove chicken backs to cool with slotted spoon and add vegetable and barley to chicken broth with your seasonings. Let simmer about 30 minutes then add meat from bones & breast back into pot along with rice. Cover pot and bring to a boil for approximately 5 minutes then reduce heat to low and let set for about 30 minutes or until rice and barley(if using) are tender.

Soup will be thick and hearty. As it cools you'll want to skim the fat from the chicken skin off of your soup. Just a small layer is necessary for a great flavor.

As it sits or is reheated you might have to add some broth because the rice and barley continue to swell and absorb the liquid.

Chicken Soup - WikiChicken soup has long been touted as a form of folk medicine to treat symptoms of the common cold and related condition

Good Pots Make Good Soups

Try to use a soup pot which will allow your soup to grow. I know I always end up with twice as much as I planned to make. Left overs ... Oh yeahhhh!

Good Soup Should Be Served In Good Bowls - I like my soup bowls served on top of a plate.

Some bowls can be heated, baked or broiled in the oven for melting cheese, say on the top of French Onions Soup, and some can't. Sometimes a dual pupose table setting is well worth any cost difference. It just depends on your personal preference and needs.